Saturday, April 12, 2008

The recent news of Supreme Court of India giving its nod to OBC reservation in premier Medical, Engineering and Management Schools is really disappointing for me and many others who feel that its time for resurgent India and our past baggages are only things which are holding us back. Let me be clear I am not supporter of Castism or neither I am against any caste. But this whole issue is so deeply flawed that I am not sure about its effectiveness.

As I have written in my earlier blogs that castes or classes were prevalent part of all ancient societies. I can say by studying our ancient scriptures like Bhagwat Gita and Veda that birth to someone was not the deciding factor of any one's caste. Even Magasthenese, The Greek Ambassador in court of King Chandragupta Maurya writes in his book Indica that there were some Seven castes in India. Lord Shri Krishna clearly says in Gita that birth is not the basis of anyone's caste. Its the balance of Three Guna, Sattva, Rajas and Tamas which decides anyone's caste or class. The higher the portion of Sattva Guna, more chances are that the person will be of Brahman in nature. Again the word Brahmin means one who knows the Brahma or the supreme reality. In that sense anyone can be a Brahmin if he or she has the caliber to achieve so. Right now too Baba Ramdev or Mata Amtrita Anandmayi are the real Brahmins and no one asks about their castes before bowing in front of them.

In every society on earth , in any time past or present, the ruling class is always small in compare to the people being ruled. So in US or in Europe you will see nexus of Politicians, Bureaucrats and big corporations which is ruling class, In Africa its warlords and like wise in India presently its nexus of corrupt politicians, criminals and bureaucrats which is ruling class. This ruling class although small in number, if gets corrupted simultaneously then it spells doom for the nation. In ancient times most of the Kings found their source of power flowing down from the wise men or priest class or Brahmins. If that priest class was getting selected on basis of their knowledge then its good for larger benefit of the common people. But only a good king will choose good advisers or priests. In my view the powerful class always likes the status quo as this benefits them and their families. They oppose change and generally dont allow many people to enter their class as it will make that power or source of wealth getting distributed in some more people and their share will become less.

In the similar fashion majority of the Brahmins, with help of ruling class made this castes mandatory on the basis of birth and it became more rigid as time passed. Its most ugly form was seen in 18th and 19th century, where there were many atrocities done on people on basis of castes. But there have been many atrocities similar to what we had in Europe and US too. I always had the view that a historical wrong cant be made right by another historical wrong. The time which is gone was different and what we have in present is different. I know that none of us ever asks about anyone's caste before going out and making friends with them. Its still there in case of marriage but I dont think that it will stay for long.

Every one should realize that there are many poor among the so called upper castes and I was one of them. I wasnt born with silver spoon and whatever I have now is because my parents made me work hard to study as they saw that it was the only way out. With God's help and some hard work I have achieved what I have now. The only time when I realized that I am a Brahmin by caste was the time when I had to fill forms for engineering colleges after passing 12th standard. I realized that although I had way higher marks in competitive exams than my classmates, they got really good government colleges, free books, calculators, drafters and scholarship. Just because they were of some lower castes they got everything better than me at that time. In all those cases all my classmate's father had the same income as my father did. And with that income my father had to take care of a large family like other so called lower caste families. Many of my classmates were not studying as hard as I did. I failed to understand why I am getting punished for what I havent committed. I consoled myself by thinking that it may be collective Karma of my ancestors. The Indian private sector came to my rescue after my studies and I got a great job from campus. I didnt tried much for govt jobs as seats were really less and all govt of india cared about is caste and nothing else.

I believe in affirmative action for disadvantaged section. But do you all really think that poverty has got anything to do with somebody's caste now? Its altogether a different time we are living in now. The policy which was meant for elevating status by giving someone freebies in education and jobs has just become a source of votes. Its really strange that Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar himself wanted the quota system just for 10 years and you see that even after 18 years the list of backward castes is not decreasing. It keeps on increasing every year. This policy is not serving the most disadvantaged and really creating a much wealthy layer among the backwards and they are the ones who are having the benefit of reservation again and again. Many backward castes like Yadav and Jats were rulers of some part of India. Lord Krishna was himself bought up by this Yadav clan and I really fail to understand how come his caste is among backward one? The most comical thing is to be seen in Tamil Nadu, where the state government is having 70% reservation and everybody wants themselves to be proven as more backwards then others. I mean whats going on.

I think that reservation in its present caste based form is promoting complacency and non hard working attitude in so many people. If you know that you will get a good government job even though you just score some third class marks in exams than why you would like to study and work hard? Is it that hard to understand by all of us?

The real help was needed for dalits which includes all SCs and STs and I dont think they are getting benefited from this policy in large numbers. The actual benefit is siphoned off by OBCs who have different quotas but simultaneously have all the means for getting good education by working hard. OBC families are well off like many general category families and reservation is giving them unfair advantage. We all cry for level playing field in Global forums but in India itself we are not treating all citizens equal. Making caste as sole criteria of reservation in education, jobs and promotions is deeply flawed mistake. We need good scientists and professionals to take India to its rightful place and I dont think that reservation policy in its present form helping it anyway.

Thats why I hate Congress and Nehru Gandhi clan so much. They are responsible for not providing good primary education to Indians. If it was provided and made compulsory for all Indians since independence , I think we wouldnt have been facing many problems as we are facing today in India. If congress wants reservation than it should first reserve Prime Minister's post to Indians and not some Italian Mama.

The solution is affirmative action and not some mindless reservation. I dont know why these political leaders doesn't think of poor among all Indians, why they still want to further divide my motherland on caste lines. The only answer is politics of votes. Its only awakening and mass awakening which can solve this problem. May Go d direct our intellect in right direction.